Randolph-Macon College alumnus Tré Frederick ’20 doesn’t hesitate when asked what makes the Randolph-Macon experience unique.  

“Simply stated, the culture,” he says. “Everyone on campus really supports one another. You feel the energy as soon as you set foot on campus.” Frederick, from Johnston County, North Carolina, is a political science major and music minor who took advantage of all that RMC offers, both on and off campus.

Limitless Opportunities
“Randolph-Macon provided limitless choices,” says Frederick, who played for the Yellow Jacket football team. “I worked out with the Navy Seals through the football program, was a member of the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers and did an internship with Virginia Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn [now Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates]—phenomenal opportunities.”

Frederick also worked with staff from the EDGE Career Center, sought advice from peer tutors in the Higgins Academic Center (HAC), and took voice lessons. A dedicated member of the Ujima Gospel Choir, he says, “Music is the way we connect to the things we don’t have answers for. It’s a way to express ourselves and let go of all of our troubles.”

Macon Memories
Frederick says his years at RMC were filled with wonderful memories. “I do have some favorites, like the hugs and advice from Barclay DuPriest, manager of the Campus Store, and going to church with my peers,” he notes. “And the football team staff was fantastic—they invest their lives in the program; that’s a testament to Head Coach Pedro Arruza’s leadership. What other football team strives for the best collective GPA and has meetings in which players discuss the book that they all read?”

Football Standout
Frederick’s football career at RMC was filled with well-deserved accolades. He was named All-South Region Third Team by D3football.com; First Team All-State by Virginia Sports Information Directors; and Offensive Back of the Year for a Small College by the Touchdown Club of Richmond. He was also a finalist for the Lanier Award, which honors best small-college player in Virginia; a member of the All-ODAC First Team; the first Yellow Jacket to register four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons; a two-time recipient of the ODAC Player of the Year award; and he holds the ODAC record 5,240 rushing yards, which was also the second-most in state history at any level.

At the 2020 Champions Dinner, Frederick was presented with the George P. Compton Award, which is presented to a senior male student-athlete in recognition of his outstanding athletic accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership, and sportsmanship. 

Future Plans
Frederick’s plans to continue his football career were put on hold—he was set to play professionally for the Vermont Brew, an Arena league team—when the pandemic hit. Currently working full-time as a security guard in Raleigh, North Carolina, he hopes to have a career that reflects his interests and talents.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with non-profit organizations, so that’s a possibility,” he says. “I’d love to hold a government position as a state organizer for a non-profit where I can also use my public-speaking skills.”